Combination organ-stop action



(No Model.) SSheets-SMet 1.

0. 0. MIGHELL.

GOMBINATION ORGAN STOP ACTION.

No. 441,370. Patented Nov. 25, 1890.

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I f/r/ I a g/ %m/ezn (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

C. G. MIGH'ELL.

-GOMBINATION ORGAN STOP .AGTION.- I

' N0. 44l,370. Patented Nov. 25, 1890.

mfg: I r l in I r (No model. I 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

G. 0. MIOHELL.

. COMBINATION ORGAN STOP ACTION.

No. 441,370. Patented Nov. 25, 1890.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EARLTON C. MICHELL, OF MONTGLAIR, NEW JERSEY.

COMBINATION ORGAN-STOP ACTION.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 441,370, dated November 25, 1890, Application filed July 9, 1890. Serial No. 358,146. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CARLTON C. MIGHELL, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, and a resident of Montclair, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, United States of America, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Pipe-Organs, of which the following is a specification.

Myinvention relates to an improvement in pipe-organs, the object being to place within command of the player a simple and at the same time very comprehensive control of the stops, and tovprovide a construction which shall render the manipulation of the parts easy and certain and in which the mechanism will not be liable to get out of order.

The leading feature in external arrangement consists in the division of the stopsattached to each manual into distinct groups or families, each group forming in itself a perfectly-balanced organ. These groups or families are separated in the first draw-stop windboX into corresponding sections, which are governed in their wind-supply by a ventil draw-stop which can be drawn by the hand, but which is further controlled by a doubleacting pneumatic piston0ne to each ventil placed beneath the manual to which the stops in that section belong. This enables the player to anticipate any combination of stops he may desire in each section or in combined sections, which will be at his command instantly by the touch of a piston or the drawing of the ventil-section draw-stop.

. For the purpose of placing within the command of the player degrees of forte or .pianissimo in addition to this, a pedal is provided which commands the draw-stop, slides in groups in each section independently of the first draw-stop box, and therefore of any combination of stops drawn therein. Each such pedal instantly gives the full complement of stops in the section independently ofany stops which are drawn. A great organ of eighteen stops, for example, may be divided into three or more groups of stops. These groups being within the command of the player for any combinations which he may desire to draw, whether in single or in combined sections, he is enabled to build up a gradual forte, first by combining in each section through the ventil draw-stops of each such tones as he desires, governed by the pneumatic pistons, and he may add to these by locking down the full pedal of each section as he needs the increase. To enable him to secure a fortissimo, the pedals governing each section are themselves under the control of one grand-jeu pedal, so that if he needs theinstant effect of the whole eighteen stops of the manual he may look down previously the three separate section-pedals, leaving the grand-jeu free, and its use at the moment required gives him the effect needed. The full organ of each section, when required separately, may be secured by locking down the grand-jeu pedal and then manipulating each section-pedal at pleasure.

A practical embodiment of my invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a view in perspective showing the several parts of the organ in assembled adjustment, the grand-jeu pedal mechanism being omitted in this view to save confusion. Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of a portion of one of the groups of stops and of a section of the first wind-box. Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view in detail, taken. transversely through the wind-box under the control of the section-pedal. Fig. 4: is an enlarged view in detail of the section-pedal mechanism. Fig. 5 is a view of the grand jeu pedal mechanism, showing its relation to the several groups of the section-pedals; and Fig. 6 is an enlarged view in detail of the gravity-lever under the control of the doubleacting pneumatic piston for positively actuating the ventil draw-stops.

The three groups or families of stops which I have represented in Fig. l as illustrative of my invention have each the same general characteristics so far as construction is concerned, and I will therefore particularly describe but one of these three groups. Stops A, provided with handles for their convenient manipulation, as shown, are provided with suitable valves a, adapted to open and close inlets b for the admission of wind to pipes B, leading to the sound-board. For the purpose of closing the opposite end of the inlet-chambcr b at the same moment that it is opened to the wind box C, a second valve a is socured on the same rod as the valve a is secured on and seats itself when the stop is drawn out. To insure the complete opening of the valve a or the complete drawing of the stop, delicate bar-springs D are secured at their opposite ends in sockets (Z against yielding cushions d', which tend to hold them slightly bowed in one direction or the other when at rest, so that when the stop be drawn a short distance, just enough to spring the bar-spring D past center, the tension of said spring will complete the stroke of the stop as it assumes its bowed adj ustmentin the opposite direction. The same result will follow in reverse order when the stop is pushed in. To further provide forthe withdrawal of the stop to a distance so great that it will easily catch the eye of a player and inform him beyond doubt that the stop is drawn, and at the same time to provide against the unduly-extended movement of the valve, I form the body of the stop-rod in two sectionshavingtheirendsa andd overlapped, as shown, one of said overlapped endsa for examplebeing provided with elongated slots,through which fastenings 64 extend into the part a thereby allowing the handle end of the stop to be drawn a certain distance after the valve is fully open. The fastenings a may extend through an upper guide-piece a to hold the parts in their proper relations to each other, forming a friction-bar. \Vind is admitted to the wind-box ()namely, the wind-box which supplies one group or family of stops-by a suitable ventil E under the control of a ventil draw-stop e. Said ventil drawstop 6 is further under the control of a doubleacting pneumatic piston, as follows: A pneumatic lever F is suitably located below the draw-stop and air under pressure is supplied thereto through a suitable tube f, leading to an air-supply and subject to the opening of a Valve (not shown) of anywell-known and approved construction, under the control of an operating device within convenient reach of the players thumb or finger,

the manual. As the practical arrangement of this operating device would depend in each instance upon the manner in which the organ was built, and as I lay no claim to any particular operating device in the present application, its illustration is omitted, but it is thought will be readily comprehended. From the top of the lever F and supported thereon extends upwardly a rod f, having pivoted to its upper end a vibrating bar (SeeFig. 6.) The upper end of the bar f is provided with a centrally-located rounded portion f and with seats f, formed on the opposite sides of the central portion for engaging pins or studs f projecting laterally from the oppositely extending arms of a double bell-crank lever pivoted, as atf, to a suitable stationary support. The upwardlyextending arm fot the double bell-crank lever rests loosely in engagement with the drawstop rod It is here shown as resting bein proximity to tween pins f projecting from the side of the rod, so that as the lever vibrates upon its pivotal connection f it will cause the forward and backward sliding movementof the drawstop rod 6. From the upper portion of the arm f a bar or red Gidepends, the upper end of said rod being pivoted to the arm f and its lower end being provided with a couuterbalance-weight g. The said rod G has intermediate of its ends a slot-and-pin connection 9 with the vibrating bar f. The construotion and arrangement of these parts are such that when, by the operating device, (not shown,) air-pressure is admitted into the tube f, the top of the pneumatic lever F will be elevated, thereby lifting the rod f and vibrating bar f and by its engagement with one of the oppositely-extending arms of the bell-crank lever rocking the said lever and thereby sliding the draw-stop rod into the position shown, for example, in Fig. 6. The moment the operating device which admits air into the tube f is released the air will be allowed to escape, the pneumatic lever F willcollapse, and the vibrating leverf will fall outof engagement with'the bell-crank lever. The said vibrating bar f being now free to swing, the counterbalance-wcight y will swing it over into a position so that the seat f will be located beneath the pin or study" on the opposite arm of the bell-crank lever, so that when the box F is again inflated the said bar f will be forced upwardly and will positively slide the draw-stop rod into closed adjustment, falling again in position to operate as at first. By this mechanism a complete opening of the ventil draw-stop and a complete closing of the same are insured without the necessity of lifting the hands from the keys.

The pipe for supplying wind to the windbox sections 0 is designated by H, Fig. 1. It now certain stops in any one or more of the groups be drawn, their tones or combinations of tones may be brought into use at pleasure by the manipulation of the ventil draw-stops either by drawing the stop by hand or by operating it through the pneumatic piston, as described, the wind from the box C passing through the tubes B to the sound-board. The tubes B do not, however, lead directly to the sound-board, but are intercepted by valvechambers I, the lower portions of which chambers are of V-shaped form, and seated in such lower V-shaped portions of the chambers are V-valves 1', as clearly shown in Fig. The said valve chambersl also communicate with wind-boxes K, each corresponding to one of the groups or families of stops. The valves 1' have a rocking motion on their edges in a direction to close communication either to the wind-boxes K or to the tubes B, according as the current of air travels. For example, when the wind is traveling through the tube B to the sounding-board the valve i will be rocked in a direction to close communication with the box K, and the wind will pass on through thevalve-chamber and through the tube B to the sounding-board. When, on the other hand, the wind is admitted into the box K, the valve will be rocked in a direction to close communication with the tube B and the wind will pass through the valve-chamber and through the tube B to the sounding-board. Furthermore, as the complete group or family of stops have their corresponding tubes all open to the wind-box K, whenever wind is admitted to the box K it will simultaneously operate all the valves 1' of that group and cause the simultaneous sounding of all the stops in that group.

A wind-box L, which forms a common supply to the several section-boxes K, is itself supplied with wind by the operation of what I have been pleased to term in my statement of the case the grand-jeu pedal, while each of the boxes K is under the control of what I have termed the section-pedal. Thelatter is clearly represented at M,Fig. l. WVhen depressed, it lifts the valve-rod m, provided with a valve m at one end for admitting air from a constantly-charged air-chamber N and at the opposite end with a valve m for closing the passage of air from the box N to the outside. When the valve m is lifted by the action of the pedal M, air-pressure is communicated through the tube a to the under side of a pufi-valve O. The valve-stem 0 01 the puffvalve 0 is provided with two valves 0' and 0 the former of which opens and closes communication between the wind-box L and the section wind-box K, and the latter of which closes and opens communication between the section wind-box and the outside air. The lifting of the puff-valve O closes the opening from the box K to the outside air and at the same time establishes commmunication between the box L and the section-box K, so that if the windbox L bethen charged with wind it will rush into the section-box K, and thence, after throwing the valves i into position to close the tubes B, will rush through the tubes B to the sou ndboard, sounding, as hereinbefore stated, all of the stops of that group or family. A springactuated vibrating bar P is suspended in proximity to the pedal M for the purpose of loeking and releasing the pedal M in its depressed adjustment, as may be desired.

The mechanism for controlling the admission of air to the wind-box L is as follows: A constantly-charged air-pressure chamber Q communicates with the chamber L by means of a valve q. The valve qis held in elevated or closed adj ustment by the action of a spring q, pressing against its under side, and the said valve, by means of a rod 1 when the valve is seated, holds a valve g away from its seat, thereby establishing free communication between the wind-box L and the outer air. A pneumatic lever R is located in the chamber Q, and its top 1- is held in elevated adjustment by means of a link 4", connecting it with the free end of the valve (1. The

air-pressure within the chamber Q is communicated to the inside of the lever B through a passage-wayor air-chamber S,which communicates with the chamber Q through a passage-way s and with the inside of the leverR through a passage-way s',so that so far as the air-pressure within the chamber Q is concerned the pressure on the under and upper sides of the top r of pneumatic lever is equalized so long as the passage 5 is left open. As shown in Fig. 5, the box L is open to the outside air, the valve q is'closed,and pressure is established between the upper and under sides of the top r of the lever B. There is a passage-Way 5 preferably in line with the passage 8 and on the opposite side of the airchamber S, which opens communication between the chamber 8 and the outside air. A valve 8 located within the chamber S, is adapted to close either one or the other of the passages s and .9 as may be desired,and said valve is under the controlof the grand-jeu pedal, not shown herein, but which may be of a similar construction to the section-box pedal, which has been hereinbefore fully described, which, when it is desired to lift the valve 3 into position to close the passage 5,

admits air-pressure to the pipe 8 leading to.

a point beneath the puff-valve 8 connected with a valve-stem of the valve 5 When, therefore, it is desired to admit wind into the box L, the grand-jeu pedal is depressed, there by lifting the puff-valve s and hence the valve 3 closing the passage 5, thereby relieving air-pressure from the under side of the top 7' of the lever B. The air-pressure in the box Q will now depress the top 0, and through the link 7 open the valve q, admitting the Wind from the box Q into the box L, and at the same time through the rod g closing the valve g and hence the communication between the box L and the outside air. Thus it follows that if any one or all of the sectionboxes K be opened to the box L before wind is admitted therein there will be no sound and the section-pedals M may be locked, so that the opening shall remain. If now, while these sectional boxes K are open to the box L, the grand-jeu pedal be depressed and the wind-box L be thereby charged with wind, the entire number of tubes leading to the opened section-boxes K will simultaneously be charged and, acting upon the sound-board, v

produce a fortissimo. Immediately the grandjeu pedal is released the valve .9 will drop,

pressure will be exerted upon the under sideof the pneumatic lever B, and the spring qwill close the valve q and open the box L to the outside air. On the other hand, by locking down the grand-j-eupedal, and thereby holding the box L charged with wind, each of the entire sections or groups of stops will be sounded by the manipulation of one or the other of the section-pedals M.

It will be observed that the above construction comprises no levers or squares needing careful and continual regulating. The act-ion is all pneumatic and when once established is as lasting as the organ itself.

\Vhat I claim as my invention is 1. In an organ, the combination, with a group of stops and a wind-box corresponding to the group and supplying wind to such stops only as are drawn, of a second wind-box supplying wind to all the stops of the group in dependently of their positions and means for controlling the admission of the wind to the boxes, substantially as set forth.

2. In an organ, the combination, with clifi'erent groups of stops and wind-boxes corresponding to the groups, one to each, the said wind-boxes having communication with the sounding-board only through such stops as are drawn, of second wind-boxes, corresponding to the several groups and having communication with the sounding-board independentlyof the positions of the stops, awindsupply box common to the said second windboxes, and means for controlling the admission of wind to the boxes, substantially as specified.

In an organ, wind-boxes each communieating with a group of pipes leading to the sound-board, a wind-supply box common to the said wind-boxes, and means for admitting wind to each of the wind-boxes separately and to all eombinedly, substantially as set forth.

4. In an organ, the combination, with a group of stops, a wind-box corresponding thereto,and corresponding pipes leading from the Wind-box to the sounding-board, of valvechambers intercepting the pipes, second windboXes communicating with the valve-chambers, valves under the control of the wind from either the first or second wind-boxes to close communication to the other wind-box, and means for supplying wind to the boxes, substantially as set forth.

5. In an organ, the combination,witha longitudinally-movable stop-rod, of a spring attached thereto and supported at its ends so as to give it a tendency to move in opposite directions from a central line under its own tension, whereby the stroke of the stop is automatically completed in either direction, substantially as set forth.

6. In an organ, a longitudinally-movable draw-stop rod formed in sections which have a limited movement relatively to each other as a means for increasing the travel of the outer or visible portion of the rod without increasing the travelot the valve, substantially as set forth.

7. In an organ, a ventil and a draw-rod for operating it, in combination with a gravitylever, a pneumatic lever for reciprocating the gravity-lever, and means for converting the longitudinal movement of the gravity-lever into a transverse movement to slide the ventiloperating rod, substantially as set forth.

8. In an organ, the combination, with the ventil-operating rod, of a bell-crank lever having one of its arms loosely engaged with the rod, a gravity-lever having an en gagcment with the bell-crank lever to operate it, and a pneumatic lever under control of the player, said lever forming a support for and serving to reciprocate the gravity-lever,substantially as set forth.

9. In an organ,one or more groups of stops, each group having its own separate windchamber, a wind-box L, having communication with the wind-chambers 01? the said groups of stops, with the outside air, and with a wind-supply, valves g and-g, for simultaneously closing communication between the wind-box and outside air and opening communication between it and the wind-supply, a putt-valve for operating said valves g g, a pedal, and a valve under the control of the pedal for admitting air under pressure to the putt-valve. substantially as set forth.

10. In an organ, the combination, with one or more groups of stops, each group having its own separate wind-chamber, a wind-box L, independent valves between the wind-box L and the wind-chambers of the said groups of stops, and a wind-supply chamber having communication with the wind-box L, of a spring-actuated valve g, for opening and closing said communication, a pneumatic lever connected with the valve, the under side oi. the pneumatic lever being in normal communication with the interior of the windsupply chamber, and means for cutting off the said communication between the under side of the pneumatic lever and the interior of the wind-supply chamber to operate the said spring actuated valve, substantially as set forth.

CARLTON C. ltllCIIELL.

Witnesses:

FREDK. HAYNES, K. E. PEMBLETON. 

